


Light in the Darkness

by SongOfMarbule



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Reality, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 21:31:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13490178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SongOfMarbule/pseuds/SongOfMarbule
Summary: Prompto did what he had to do. Toying with a force more powerful than he’d ever imagined in his entire life sounded like a run through the park in comparison to certain death. Faced with the reality of his best friend being taken from this world or facing the unknown, he chose the lesser of two evils.(Chapter 10 / Episode Ignis spoilers, Fate-swap)





	Light in the Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 of Promnis Week is here! And here's some sadness with a dusting of sweet for today's fate-swapping prompt, "Prompto gets blinded". Special thanks to my darling [Godspoison](http://godspoison.tumblr.com) for the inspiration.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep. 

Prompto’s index finger remained firmly over his camera’s ‘forward’ button, pressing it in sequence exactly two seconds after he had pressed it the last time.

Beep.

Beep. 

Beep.

“Darling, I would have done the very same, if I were in your position,” Ignis’ warm voice spoke softly in his mind, a lingering memory of a conversation from weeks prior.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

“Without a moment’s hesitation, I would have done the same.”

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

“No questions asked.”

Beep.

Prompto’s fingers slid along the top of the camera’s casing.

“Your bravery and selflessness is to be commended.”

Prompto’s hands had memorized every curve, every crease, every button of his camera. He easily found the power button, pressing it next as he listened to the mechanical whirring of his lens retracting, the gears shutting down.

“Words cannot describe how relieved I am that you…” Ignis’ voice paused, just like it had during the real conversation.

Prompto set the camera down on the bed beside him, listening to soft brush of plastic meeting cotton blankets.

“...my apologies, but I can’t quite grasp the words I wish to portray at the moment.”

Prompto’s hand moved to his face, fingers tracing the outline of the rough scar that now engulfed his left eye.

“I love you very much, Prompto.”

The skin beneath his eye felt wet, suddenly. Oh, he was crying. Again.

“What you did was incredible… you saved his life.”

Tears streamed down his cheeks. Again. But what else was new?

“I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost you.”

Yeah. 

He wouldn’t have known what he’d have done, either, if the situation had been reversed.

He’d made it out with his life, sure. But what he did wasn’t brave. It was far from it. 

It had been stupid.

He just did it. Because he had no choice. It was either do it, or die.

A brash decision, but he knew then that he hadn’t wanted to die. Toying with a force more powerful than he’d ever imagined in his entire life sounded like a run through the park in comparison. Faced with the reality of his best friend being taken from this world or facing the unknown, he chose the lesser of two evils.

Honestly, Prompto was surprised that he didn’t outright die when the power of the Ring of the Lucii ripped through his body, suffocated him, burned him inside and out. 

The things he’d seen that night, the things he’d heard, the things he’d felt - he still had nightmares about them.

Nightmares about something he couldn’t even remember.

He had no memory of that night.

All he knew was that he’d saved Noctis, he’d been unconscious for weeks, and when he’d finally woken up…

“Dammit,” Prompto muttered under his breath, sniffing back the congestion in his nose that came with the tears. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, and sometimes, he swore he still felt them burning. Now was no different.

When he’d finally woken up, he’d learned that he had been burned and blinded, and everyone was commending him for how brave and incredible he was and  _ wow _ who would have thought that Prompto, shrimpy Prompto Argentum, the Prince’s yammering sidekick, the blond who often tripped and fell in battle when everyone else was busy kicking ass, had put on the goddamned  _ Ring of the Lucii _ and lived to talk about it?!

No. He wasn’t brave.

He’d been terrified.

He grabbed his camera once more, hurriedly turning it back on, finger right back on that ‘forward’ button by the photo review screen.

Beep. 

Beep.

Beep.

When the others weren’t around, the only thing that brought him comfort was the feeling of his camera in his hands. While he couldn’t physically see the photos he’d taken anymore, he could still imagine the beautiful landscapes he’d captured, the smiling faces of his companions. The dangerous intrigue of daemons, the shimmering surface of the ocean - all of them were still captured inside the digital memory, living on as if nothing had happened.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Losing his sight wasn’t so bad. After all, he’d made it out with his life, and he truly was thankful for that. It was a learning process; he could cope and be stronger for it. But what he missed the most was colour. 

He missed the colour of Ignis’ eyes.

Green like frothy seafoam collecting along the ocean’s edge; a soft evergreen, like the forest’s trees after a misty rainfall. He’d never forget it, but the real thing just couldn’t be compared to a flickering memory in his mind, no matter how hard he tried.

“Good evening, darling.”

Prompto perked up when he heard the voice. This time, it wasn’t a recording trapped in the confines of his memories.

“Hey, Ignis,” Prompto replied softly.

Prompto listened to the sound of shoes, slightly heeled with a flash of red undersole with each lift of feet, tapping against the floor as Ignis made his way over to the bed. He felt the slight dip of the mattress beside him, turning his face just in time to accept the soft brush of lips against his own that he had been expecting.

“Ah, I’ve always loved that one,” Ignis said warmly.

Prompto looked down, even though he couldn’t see the photo.

“Which one is it?” he asked.

“When we were at the Disc of Cauthess,” Ignis replied, his tone light. “The sky was so blue that day, framed with the fluffiest of white clouds. I remember being in absolute awe of the landscape in that area and could hardly believe we were really there. Truly astounding.”

“Yeah,” Prompto agreed. “It was pretty neat, wasn’t it?”

“It was beautiful. Do you remember that little Garulet we helped?”

Prompto shifted, leaning in towards Ignis when he felt the other’s arm brush against him, cradling his shoulders. “Yeah,” he said again. “The one with the crooked tusk, right?”

“That’s right. I’m certain the photo you took of it before we set it off, leg bandaged neatly in a little bow, is a few photos after this one.”

Beep. 

Beep.

“Ah, yes, there it is.” Ignis’ other hand came to rest gently over Prompto’s. “It’s bigger than I remembered, and strangely cute, in its own way.”

Prompto’s lips quirked, ever so faintly.

Beep.

Beep.

Prompto was about to press the button again when Ignis’ voice came again. 

“Breathtaking,” Ignis whispered.

“Yeah?” Prompto inquired.

“Beneath the glittering canopy of stars… even the darkness can be considered beautiful in this photo.”

“Stars were always my favourite thing to photograph, y’know?” Prompto closed his eyes.

“Very fitting,” Ignis replied.

Prompto felt the faintest brush of gloved fingertips across his cheek. Ignis always did love his freckles; he loved touching them, kissing them, praising them whenever Prompto felt down about his physical appearance.

His appearance didn’t matter to him anymore.

“You know, Prompto, beauty isn’t a gift that merely exists in the realm of sight,” Ignis added. Prompto felt the puffs of air against the strands of his hair with each spoken word. Somewhere along the way, Ignis had moved closer, a press of lips to his temple to follow. “Just as there are stars in the night sky, there is always light where there is dark.”

Prompto’s finger slid back up to the camera’s power button, flicking it off. 

“I know,” Prompto murmured, setting his camera aside once more. He turned slightly, his hands seeking Ignis’ face, and he found it with little trouble. “You’re proof of that.”

Maybe he was braver than he thought.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [Tumblr](http://saturnvalleycoffee.tumblr.com). I've also got a [FFXV sideblog](http://caseofthestolenspecs.tumblr.com), where these short stories are being cross-posted to!


End file.
